As a result of recent return-to-office regulations, many workplaces are seeing an increase in “coffee badging” – when employees come into the office for just a few hours to comply with return-to-office regulations. To determine how often employees “coffee badging,” some employers use data from security badges.
Quick hits
- To technically comply with the new return-to-office requirements, some workers are entering their physical offices, clocking in, and leaving just a few hours later.
- To determine how often this occurs, employers may use technology to verify on-site attendance and duration of attendance.
- Company leaders and managers can agree on how many office hours are sufficient to meet the company’s need for on-site work.
Over the past two years, many companies have tightened their office attendance requirements and started monitoring data to ensure employees are complying. However, not all workers are comfortable with returning to the office, so a new trend called “coffee badgeging” has emerged: employees swipe to sign in, show up at the office, and leave after just a few hours.
This technical compliance with office mandates by coffee brands is likely a response to long commutes, rush hour traffic, family obligations, and a desire for a healthy work-life balance. It’s also likely a symbolic response from employees with remote jobs who have become increasingly accustomed to working from home. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of June 2024, 11 percent of U.S. workers ages 16 and older worked all of their work hours at home, and another 12 percent worked part of their work hours at home. Meanwhile, 60 percent of employees with remote jobs prefer a hybrid work arrangement, according to a new study from a private polling firm, and about a third prefer working entirely remotely. Perhaps unsurprisingly, fewer than 10 percent of employees with remote jobs prefer to work on-site full-time.
To encourage collaboration and teamwork and increase employee efficiency, office work requirements are increasing. However, not all office work requirements are the same. Individual managers can decide how many hours their employees must work in the office. This can vary depending on the type of job and seniority.
In addition, some employers monitor compliance with office attendance requirements more carefully than others or for different purposes. In an effort to combat “coffee badgeging,” some employers have informed employees that their badges will be individually monitored and the information may appear in performance reviews. This, employers hope, will ensure that employees stay in the office for the entire workday. Other employers simply use the badge data for internal purposes to make policy changes regarding office attendance requirements. Some employers may even identify attendance trends during certain seasons or months. Overall, this type of badge monitoring generally does not violate employees’ privacy rights under state and federal laws and can provide employers with useful data.
Next Steps
Employers should review their policies on hybrid work arrangements, attendance tracking, and disciplinary action for employees with attendance violations. The disciplinary action for attendance violations can be outlined in an employee handbook. During the hiring and onboarding process, it is helpful to make clear to each employee the company’s expectations regarding on-site work hours, use of security badges, and monitoring of employee attendance through badge readers.
